Hit Squad join in finals countdown
Friday, May 25, 2007
Article summary
The UEFA Hit Squad were a prominent presence at the 21 Days to Go promotional event that took place on 21 May in the four cities to host the U21 finals.
Article body
The UEFA Hit Squad were a prominent presence at the 21 Days to Go promotional event that took place on 21 May in the four cities to host matches at next month's UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
Special guests
That date marked 21 days before this summer's finals in the Netherlands and to mark the occasion, the UEFA Hit Squad took part in a road show visiting the cities in a striking vehicle: the Radio 538 Hummer Limousine. The guests in the limousine were tournament director Harry Been and two Dutch U21 internationals, Stijn Schaars of AZ Alkmaar and AFC Ajax's Hedwiges Maduro. The former was captain when the Netherlands lifted the trophy in Portugal last year, though he will sit out this coming event through injury.
Tickets to be won
In each city, the Jong Oranje's trophy was displayed while the UEFA Hit Squad offered the chance to win tickets for the finals. In Heerenveen they were based at the entrance to the Abe Lenstra Stadium, where the opening game, between the hosts and Israel, will be held on 10 June. Children won tickets by trying their luck at games called Street Battle and Target Shooting. The road show then travelled to Groningen, which will stage the final on 23 June, where the UEFA Hit Squad set up in front of the City Hall. Here activities included another Street Battle pitch and a Speedometer. Tickets were also presented to a team of disabled footballers.
Children involved
Nijmegen was the third city on the tour and here the UEFA Hit Squad were located in Grote Markt Square where a fan festival is scheduled for before the Group B match between England and Serbia on 17 June. A local school was invited to join in events and win tickets, with around 250 children attending. Those present were able to collect autographs from Maduro and Schaars as well as a number of players from NEC Nijmegen. All tried their luck at the Target Shooting and some youngsters played the professionals at Street Battle and released balloons into the air. The road show concluded in Arnhem, where a street football championship was played, before Been and Schaars went to the Radio 538 studio in Hilversum to be interviewed on the famous Ruud de Wild radio show.
Hit Squad schedule
The UEFA Hit Squad are visiting a total of 21 events between April and the final on 23 June. Click here for details.
